Sealed box with pouring spout



June 30, 1942. c. F. LUNDBERG 2,287,893

SEALED BOX WITH POURING SPOUT Filed Oct. 3, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 TEAR THIS I Z/ (arl J72 Lundber'g By his flfi'ornys 7%whw)? mum;

June

C. F. LUNDBERG SEALED BOX WITH POURING SPOUT Filed 001;. 3, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 CarZ J7! \Lzmdberg June 30, 1942 c. F. LUNDBERG 2,287,893

SEALED BOX WITH POURING SPOU'I' Filed 001:. 3, 1940 3 SheetsSheet 3 Jhuenior Carl E Lundberg By 7221; -Afi'0kneya Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

My invention relates to boxes or cartons of the character or structure especially adapted for containing granular materials such as socalled breakfast foods and the like, and, generally stated, consists of the novel devices, combinations of devices and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

Particularly the improved box or carton is adapted to be made from various suitable materials but is especially adapted for making of cardboard or heavy paper boxes or cartons. More especially, the invention relates to such boxes or cartons that are provided with projectable pouring spouts but are normally sealed against the passage of air. The invention is especially directed to the structure of or manner of application to the box of the spout structure and the simple and efiicient means for normally sealing the box. The box, including the spout, is adapted to be stamped from a flat sheet of cardboard or the like and to be readily bent to form the box with enclosed spout.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in perspective, with some parts broken away, showing the box and spout-forming sheet bent to form the various elements of the box, said parts being partly bent into box-forming position;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the box-forming sheet bent to form a complete box with the pouring spout projected into the same, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a fiat or plan view of the sealing sheet or plate that is used to seal the box with the pouring spout within the box;

Fig. 4 is a View partly in section and partly in elevation showing the sealing sheet of Fig. 3 bent approximately into the form it takes when applied to the box;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View in perspective showing the top of the box with the sealing strip applied thereto;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective corresponding to Fig. 6 but showing the upper or final sealing flap or portion of the sealing strip pulled up to expose a portion of the pouring spout ,for engagement by the nail of a finger or the like;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding in the line of its section to Fig. 6 but showing the spout partly lifted from closed position;

.be lapped with flaps I3b and I 412, respectively,

Fig. 9 shows the spout loosened and turned into a pouring position; and

Fig. 10 is a View in perspective corresponding to Fig. 2 but illustrating a somewhat modified structure wherein the paper sealing strip is not employed.

Referring first to the preferred construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, Fig. v1 shows the box proper which, as stated, is made from a single sheet, preferably and assumed to be a quite heavy cardboard. This sheet has curved or creased bending lines that adapt the sheet to be bent to form flat wall portions, to wit: side plates I2 and I3, end walls I4 and I5, and sealing flap I6, which latter projects from the end wall l5 and is adapted to overlap the end wall or plate I 3. The bottom of the box is formed by flaps I2a, I3a, Ma and I5a that are integral lower extensions of the said members I2, I3, I4 and I5, respectively. These flaps [2a, ISa, Ma and I5a are adapted to overlap, as shown in Fig. 2, to close the bottom of the box. The sealing flap I6 will overlap and be adhesively or otherwise secured. At the top of the box the wall plate I2 is formed with a flap I2b that is adapted to on the wall or plate portions I2, I3 and I4.

The pouring spout is formed by extensions of the upper end of the end wall I5 and comprises a plate portion I1 with side flanges I8. When the box is closed the plate portion ll will overlap the then overlapped and interlapping flaps I21), I3b and I4band in the particular arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the free end of plate I! will rest upon the flap Itb and will complete the closing of the top of the box. When the pouring spout is turned outward, as shown, or into pouring position, as shown in Fig. 9, its outward movement will then be limited by projections Ila on the side flanges or plates I8 which then engage the undermost of the overlapped flaps IZb, I3b and Mb.

The box so far described would be an operative container with an extensible pouring spout and which spout, when closed, would close the box, but the box would not be hermetically sealed without the addition of some sealing means. In the preferred structure illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, novel sealing means for the above purpose is provided. The sealing strip or sheet preferably employed is made of thin-but quite tough paper which, when laid out fiat, see Fig. 3, involves a main body portion I9 with side flaps 20, one end flap 2|, and at the other end an exv.55 tended portion 22 that is creased and adapted to be bent to form a U-folded pulling flap 23 and a depending lap flap 24, see Figs. 4 and 6.

The contracted or neck portion of the connection between the members I9 and 22 is preferably perforated at 25 to form a tearing line. When this sealing strip, bent as shown in Fig. 4, is applied on the top of the box, the flaps 20 2| and 24 will overlap and be adhesively secured to the sides and top of the box and the plate portion 22 will be adhesively secured to the top of the plate I! of the pouring spout, and thus the box will be normally hermetically sealed. Here it is important to note that when the sealing strip or plate is applied as just described, the underturned portion 22 of the sealing strip will cover and be co-extensive with the plate I! of the pouring spout and the free-end of the latter will be covered by the sealing strip.

To provide simple means for exposing the free end of the said plate I! so that it can be engaged, for example, by a finger nail as shown in Fig. 8, the upper portion of sealing strip I9 is perforated on lines 25. These perforations extend from the pulling flap 23 to a place beyond the free end of the plate l'i. When the box is to be opened by a movement of the pouring spout to a pouring position that portion of the sealing strip that is within the perforated lines 26 is pulled loose and turned upward and, if preferable, entirely removed, see Fig. 7, thereby exposing the free end of the plate 22 to its engagement, such as shown in Fig. 8, so that the pouring spout may be raised and turned outwardly simply by breaking through the body IQ of the sealing strip. To make this movement of the pouring spout an easy and practical matter, the body portion 19 of the sealing strip'is provided with outer and wider spaced perforated lines 2! that follow the sides of the spout plate ll and extend somewhat beyond the free end thereof. These perforated or weakened lines 2'! make it easy for the spout plate ll to tear its way through the sealing strip.

As is evident, the sealing strip applied as described affords a thoroughly hermetically sealed package for containing various articles indicated and after the seal has been broken, affords means for conveniently pouring quantities from the container and then again fairly well sealing the same simply by turning the spout back to closed position.

The box shown in Fig. is or may be assumed to be the identical box above described with an added feature intended to securely hold the spout in closed position even after the hermetic seal has been broken. This added device involves an elastic band 28, a portion of which is anchored to the sides of the box by adhesively applied paper strips 29. Normally, or when the box is sold, the band will be applied, as shown by full lines in Fig. 10, but when the seal has broken and it is desired to hold the spout closed, a loose portion of the band is applied over the top of the spout plate H, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 10. 7

From the foregoing it will be understood that the device described is capable of modifications within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

The pouring spout and seal are herein referred to as being applied to the top of the box, but it will be understood that that statement is used in an illustrative sense and that the said spout and seal might be applied to other walls of the box or container.

What I claim is:

1. A box of the kind described provided with a projectable pouring spout, the spout bottomforming plate of which, when the spout is closed, forms a part of the top of the box, and a fragile sealing strip applied to the box and covering the otherwise exposed bottom-forming plate of the spout, said sealing strip having a portion united thereto by fragile tearing lines that extend beyond the free end of said bottom-forming plate, the said sealing strip normally entirely covering and extending beyond the area of the bottomforming plate of said spout and completely sealing the same.

2. A box of the kind described provided with a projectable pouring spout hinged to one of the walls of the box, the spout bottom-forming plate of which, when the spout is closed, forms a part of the top of the box, and a fragile sealing strip applied to said box and covering the otherwise exposed bottom-forming plate of the spout, said sealing strip having a portion united by fragile tearing lines that substantially follow the outline of said bottom-forming plate, and further having within the area covered by said last noted fragile tearing lines, other tearing lines covering less area but extended beyond the free end portion of said bottom-forming plate.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which the part of said sealing strip within said tearing lines is terminated at the edge of the box in a folded pulling flange.

4. The structure defined in claim 2 in further combination with a flexible band attached to said box with a portion thereof free for application over the spout bottom-forming plate to hold said spout against accidental opening movements.

5. A box of the kind described provided with a projectable pouring spout, the spout bottomforming plate of which, when the spout is closed, forms a part of the top of the box, and a fragile sealing strip applied to the box and covering the otherwise exposed bottom-forming plate of the spout, said sealing strip having a portion united thereto by fragile tearing lines that extend beyond the free end of said bottom-forming plate, and which fragile sealing strip is folded upon itself to form an underlying portion of substantially the same outline as said spout bottomforming plate.

6. A box of the kind described provided with a projectable pouring spout, the spout bottomforming plate of which, when the spout is closed, forms a part of the top of the box, and a fragile sealing strip applied to the box and covering the otherwise exposed bottom-forming plate of the spout, said sealing strip having a portion united thereto by fragile tearing lines that extend beyond the free end of said bottom-forming plate, and in which the part of said sealing strip within said tearing lines is terminated at the edge of the box in a folded pulling flange.

'7. A box of the kind described provided with a projectable pouring spout, the spout bottomforming plate of which, when the spout is closed, forms a part of the top of the box, and a fragile sealing strip applied to the box and covering the otherwise exposed bottom-forming plate of the spout, said sealing strip having a portion united thereto by fragile tearing lines that extend beyond the free end of said bottom-forming plate, and in further combination with a flexible band attached to said box with a portion thereof free for application over the spout bottom-forming plate to hold the spout against accidental opening movements.

8. A box of the kind described provided with a projectable pouring spout, the bottom-forming plate of which, when the spout is closed, forms a part of one Wall of the box, a sealing strip applied to the box and normally completely covering and sealing the otherwise exposed bottom forming plate of the spout, said sealing strip having a portion united thereto by a fragile tearing line that closely follows the outline of said bottom-forming plate, and an additional sealing strip of less area than said first noted sealing strip having tearing lines extended to the, extreme inner portion of the tearing line of said first noted sealing strip.

9. The structure defined in claim 8 in which the tearing lines of both of said stealing strips extend to a point beyond the inner end of the bottom-forming plate of said spout.

10. The structure defined in claim 8 in which the tearing lines of both of said sealing strips extend to a point beyond the inner end of the bottom-forming plate of said spout, said last noted sealing strip having a flange projecting at the adjacent edge of the box and adapted to be gripped to initially tear out said second noted sealing strip.

CARL F. LUNDBERG. 

